ASL says being pushed out of business

Mar 26, 2026 News

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…accuses GCAA of unjustified, unreasonable restrictions

By Shania Williams

(Kaieteur News) – Air Services Limited (ASL), a longstanding aviation company in Guyana with over 60 years of service, has been targeted and unfairly treated, according to Chairman Captain Ahamad Mazahar Ally. He said the company received informal instructions from the GCAA Director General Lt. Col. (Ret’d) Egbert Field, to cease operations, followed by restrictions on flights to the Matthews Ridge Airstrip in Region One until further notice.

Ally also claimed that several of the company’s pilots were suspended, resulting in a loss of both personnel and significant revenue, estimated at up to $5 million daily.

The GCAA Director General declined to address the allegations when contacted by this publication.

The ASL chairman expressed deep concern over what he described as abrupt and undocumented decisions made on Sunday, including verbal directives to cease operations and restrict flights to Region One, its largest destination carrier. He warned that the future of the company’s more than 300 employees could be in jeopardy if the situation continues.

As a result, the company is now preparing to initiate legal proceedings against the GCAA, citing what it describes as “unreasonable and unjustifiable restraint of trade,” should the authority fail to provide substantial justification for the restrictions and allow operations to resume at Matthews Ridge.

Speaking with Kaieteur News on Wednesday, Ally detailed what he believes is a pattern of victimisation aimed at stifling the company’s operations.

According to him, the situation unfolded on Sunday around 09:35hrs when the company received a call from the Director General’s office instructing them to cease all operations with immediate effect, without any prior hearing. This was later followed by further instructions restricting flights to Matthews Ridge.

“We are faced with apparent victimisation from Mr. Egbert Field,” Ally stated.

He explained that ASL typically operates three flights daily to Matthews Ridge. However, on Sunday, an incident involving one of its aircraft triggered the chain of events.

“The first aircraft was involved in an incident. The second aircraft went in and returned with the pilot, and then our Operations Manager, Captain Zahir, received a call from the Director General indicating that he had received a report about the incident and that he would ground our air services and the pilot with immediate effect,” Ally said.

He noted that while the company was initially allowed to complete operations on Sunday, it was grounded on Monday. That directive later evolved into a complete restriction from operating at Matthews Ridge.

Ally explained that the incident involved an aircraft from another company that had landed, suffered a puncture, and veered off but remained on the airstrip. As a result, the ASL aircraft had to manoeuvre and ultimately landed on a nearby construction site.

“There is no supervision or air traffic control there,” he added.

He further stated that while the GCAA has historically played a supportive, regulatory role, recent actions suggest a shift in approach.

“They are now acting more like police. We have nothing in writing, this is how they operate. We have been targeted by the Director General,” Ally asserted.

He added that incidents occur across the aviation sector, but ASL appears to be singled out.

“All operators have incidents, but they are not subjected to these kinds of measures. As far as we are concerned, only our company is being targeted,” he said.

Highlighting the scale of ASL’s operations, Ally noted that the company operates more than 50 aircraft and provides a wide range of services across Guyana’s interior, including scheduled and charter flights, medical evacuations, tourist transport, and agricultural operations.

“We have been around for over 60 years. We are pioneers in the aviation industry. We operate the only certified commercial helicopter service for search and rescue in Guyana. We support the mining sector and currently control about 60% of the domestic market. We are the largest carrier at present,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the company’s attorney, Motee Singh, has formally challenged the GCAA’s actions, arguing that the directive to halt operations lacks any justifiable basis.

“Such a decision appears to rest on personal opinion rather than facts supported by a valid forensic report or conclusive investigation,” Singh said.

He further contended that other operators at Matthews Ridge have allegedly committed breaches but were allowed to continue operating without restriction, raising concerns about bias and unequal treatment.

“My client has indicated that many of these reports are based on hearsay and are unjustifiable, unreasonable, malicious, frivolous, and vexatious,” he added.

Singh warned that the directive to cease operations at Matthews Ridge may be unconstitutional and contributes to an unlawful restraint of trade. He has given the GCAA 24 hours to permit the company to resume operations uninterrupted, pending a full hearing and determination of the issues.

“It is imperative to note that my client has been subjected to several investigations in the past under questionable circumstances, seemingly driven by individuals with vindictive motives,” Singh stated.

He cautioned that failure to allow ASL to resume operations would leave the company with no option but to initiate legal proceedings in the High Court for judicial review, as well as claims for loss of revenue and reputational damage.

When contacted again for a response to the allegations, Director General Field maintained his position, stating only, “No comment at this time,” before ending the call.

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• Air Services Limited, Egbert Field, GCAA, Matthews Ridge Airstrip

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